Games like Guild Wars are becoming an easy way for geographically diverse …

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Now this is the kind of gaming story I love to hear. You don't need a long distance line, you don't need a plane ticket, and you don't need to drive for hours to spend time with your family. All you need is Guild Wars. Family gaming is something that's only going to get more popular as time goes on, especially since many of the Nintendo generation are having their own kids while keeping their love of games.

It sounds like a good way to bond as a family: share a few stories, talk about your day, and gain a few levels. This just goes to break the stereotype of the lonely gamer, playing alone with no friends or human contacts. Often games can be a cheap and fun way to spend time with family and friends who may live hours away. Guild Wars doesn't have a monthly fee, and Xbox LIVE voice chat is as good as a long distance call and can be much cheaper.

"The prediction that this was giong to be an isolating technology turned out to be so thoroughly wrong," said Gee, who sees the worlds forming in these games as a new type of public space.

Like many people the family in the article found that spending time with people in the game is not much different than seeing them in real life.

"We fight, we get lost," is how Jean summarizes the typical session, which can run three or four hours. "In fact, it's identical to some of the summer vacations we've taken together."

As my friends get older and are working more and start families, gaming is often the easiest way to get together and share news and talk while playing a game. Games can be a positive social tool if used correctly, it's refreshing to see that be the focus of an article.